For Training Purposes

For Training Purposes

by
Tim Butler

In
the darkened library of a large manor house a phone is ringing. It
is an old fashioned phone and it sits on a side table which is dimly
illuminated by an equally old fashioned standard lamp. Beside the
table is a wing back chair which at first seems unoccupied until a
bony hand reaches out from its shadowy depths and lifts the
receiver.

“Hello?”

…

“Yes,
this is the owner of the property.”

…

“No,
we have not considered uPVC double glazing, this is a listed building
you see, there are certain restrictions...” The voice trails off
for a moment as if a thought has just occurred.

“I
say,” he asks, “can you hear me well enough?”

…

“That's
good, I'm glad you can hear me because I want you to listen to my
voice. Are you listening?”

…

“That's
very good. Now I want you to concentrate on the sound of my voice and
nothing else. Try to shut out everything else around you, close your
eyes and listen. As I count down from 10 you will find yourself
becoming increasingly sleepy.”

“10,
your eyes are tightly shut.”

“9,
your breathing is becoming slower.”

“8,
your arms and legs are very heavy.”

“7,
you can feel the rest of the world slipping away.”

“6,
now tell me, are you asleep?”

…

“Excellent. I am now going to give you a series of instructions, when I
have finished you will wake up and remember nothing about our
conversation apart from these instructions. If you understand please
say “I understand”.

…

“Whenever
you hear my voice again you will obey whatever commands I give you
without question. If you will obey all such commands please say 'I
obey'”.

…

“Thank
you, you have been very cooperative.”

“Actually,
there is one more thing, I understand that these calls you make are
recorded for training purposes, is that correct?”

…

“How
wonderful. Now please listen carefully, this is your first command.
When you wake up you will share the recording of this conversation
with as many people as you are able. You will arrange for every
employee in your workplace to hear it, you will play it to every
customer you contact, you will make copies and play them to your
family. If you understand say, 'I understand'”.

…

“If
you will obey say, 'I obey'.”

…

“Now
wake up.”

And
the bony hand reaches back out of the gloom and replaces the
receiver. A faint sound, which could be a kind of laughter, can be
heard, and then nothing.

A telephone rings in a medium sized family home
somewhere in the North of England. The father answers,

“Hello?”

…

“Yes,
I am the owner of the property.”

…

“I
can hear you fine thanks, what's this about?”

He
listens to the caller for a long time before replying,

“I
understand.”

And
then finally,

"I
obey."

And
then he looks up, looks at the phone in his hand as if he's surprised
to find it there, and hangs up.